SHT Two Harbors to Duluth
Linking people with nature by footpath along Lake Superior's North Shore.
The almost 50-mile stretch between Duluth and Two Harbors is currently being constructed. As sections are complete and open to the public, maps and trail descriptions will be posted here.
22 New Miles of Trail Open September 1st, 2009: The Superior Hiking Trail Association now has 22 new miles of trail, divided into three sections, open for your hiking enjoyment. These three sections are west of the current start of the trail at Co Rd 301 (Fors Road). The start of the Superior Hiking Trail is now at Rossini Road.
Use this map below to orient yourself to where these sections are located and to drive to the various trailheads.
Printable Map 156k
Section 1: Rossini Road Trailhead from Lake County Demonstration Forest Trailhead
Total Distance of Section: 6.9 miles
Directions to Rossini Road Trailhead: At Hwy 61 milepost 14.9, turn north (inland) on Homestead Road (St. Louis Co Rd 42) and go 5.75 miles to end. Turn right on West Knife River Rd (still Co Rd 42) and go 1.5 miles. Turn left on Culbertson Rd (St. Louis Co Rd 41) and go 1.5 miles. Turn right on Two Harbors Rd (still Co Rd 41) and go 0.5 miles. Turn left on Laine Rd (Co Rd 266) and go 3.5 miles. Turn left on Rossini Rd (still Co Rd 266) and go 1.3 miles to trailhead parking lot on left.
Directions to Lake County Demonstration Forest Trailhead: At Hwy 61 milepost 26.0 in Two Harbors, turn north on Hwy 2 (Lake Co Rd 2) and go 3.0 miles. Turn left on Hwy 12 (Co Rd 12) and go 2.5 miles. Turn right on Holm Rd and go 0.5 miles. Turn left on Drummond Grade (Co Rd 131) and go 2.5 miles to Demonstration Forest trailhead parking lot on right.
0.0 (6.9) ROSSINI ROAD TRAILHEAD PARKING LOT
SHT crosses Rossini Road and enters mixed woods of balsam fir-birch-aspen-maple-basswood. Trail crosses wet area on bridge and then crosses three small bridges on tributaries of McCarthy Creek in area that shows re-growth from logging. Between the third and fourth small bridges look carefully to see the trail perched on side of old railroad cut. Narrow gauge railroads were used throughout this area for historic logging. Trail goes by several vernal ponds that have water in the spring. Trail enters hardwood forest dotted with occasional large white pines. Noteworthy here is the large number of leatherwood shrubs throughout this area.
2.0 (4.9) BRIDGE ON MCCARTHY CREEK TRIBUTARY
This is the fourth of four bridges on small tributaries. Note the clear water of this tributary. Trail continues alternating between mature maple forest and fir-aspen-birch forests.
3.3 (3.6) McCARTHY CREEK BRIDGE AND CAMPSITE
McCARTHY CREEK CAMPSITE
TYPE: Regular
TENT PADS: 2
WATER: From McCarthy Creek
SETTING: On McCarthy Creek
NEXT CAMPSITE: 1.2 miles
After campsite, SHT crosses bridge below lovely grass-lined waterfall. After leaving creek, trail goes through white pine stand, crosses dirt track, and continues through mixed forest.
4.1 (2.8) OLD DRUMMOND ROAD
SHT crosses Old Drummond Road and comes to area where trail is strewn with frost-shattered rock – watch your step carefully here.
4.4 (2.5) FERGUSON TRIBUTARY OF THE KNIFE RIVER
FERGUSON CAMPSITE
TYPE: Regular
TENT PADS: 2
WATER: from creek 100 yards from campsite
SETTING: In spruce trees on hill above branch of Knife River
PREVIOUS CAMPSITE: 1.2
NEXT CAMPSITE: 5.2
5.1 (1.8) DRUMMOND GRADE (CO RD 131)
5.7 (1.2) JUNCTION IN TRAIL AT T-STOP
SHT comes to trail junction where SHT main trail turns left (north) and SHT spur trail turns right (south). After 0.5 miles, SHT spur turns left (south) where it continues on Demonstration Forest trail call Ferguson Trail/Orange Trail for 0.2 miles. SHT spur trail turns right (west) onto Gravel Pit Trail/Orange Trail by gate (make sure you don’t turn onto North Shore State Trail – check for signs here) and travels on Gravel Pit Trail/Orange Trail 0.5 miles and then turns left (southeast) onto Knife River/Blue Trail and travels 333 ft to trailhead parking lot by kiosk and log outhouses.
6.9 (0.0) LAKE COUNTY DEMONSTRATION FOREST TRAILHEAD PARKING LOT
Printable Map 609k
Section 2. Lake County Demonstration Forest Trailhead to Reeves Road Trailhead
Total Distance of Section: 11.0 miles
Directions to Lake County Demonstration Forest Trailhead: At Hwy 61 milepost 26.0 in Two Harbors, turn north on Hwy 2 (Lake Co Rd 2) and go 3.0 miles. Turn left on Hwy 12 (Co Rd 12) and go 2.5 miles. Turn right on Holm Rd and go 0.5 miles. Turn left on Drummond Grade (Co Rd 131) and go 2.5 miles to parking lot on right.
0.0 (11.0) LAKE COUNTY DEMONSTRATION FOREST TRAILHEAD
SHT spur trail follows a series of Demonstration Forest trails for 1.2 miles to reach main SHT. Facing trailhead sign, SHT spur trail goes left (west) on Knife River/Blue Trail for 333 feet. SHT spur turns right (east) onto Gravel Pit/Orange Trail and goes for 0.5 miles coming to gates by Briton Pit Road. SHT spur turn left (north) on Ferguson/Orange Trail for 0.1 miles. At sign, SHT spur turns right off of Ferguson/Orange Trail to continue on SHT spur for another 0.5 miles to reach main SHT at T-intersection.
1.2 (9.8) SHT MAIN TRAIL
At T-intersection, main SHT turns right (north) to go on to Reeves Road trailhead (main SHT turns left to go to Rossini Road trailhead). SHT goes through mature maple forest and then young aspen forest.
1.9 (9.1) MOSSY KNOBS
SHT climbs slightly to first one, than another nice rock outcrop covered in moss and reindeer lichen and continues in another nice maple forest.
2.6 (8.4) RED PINE FOREST
Trail crosses old logging road and continues by large glacial erratic boulder and soon goes through long stretch of red pine forest. Trail skirts the edge of a large pond and continues through red pine forest.
4.0 (7.0) WEST BRANCH OF STEWART RIVER
SHT comes to the crystal clear West Branch of Stewart River and crosses river on small bridge.
4.5 (6.5) OLD RAILROAD CUT
Trail comes to odd cut into two side hills. This was likely cut for narrow gauge railroad for historic logging. After 0.2 miles, SHT enters area of trees cut by beavers. A short 109-foot spur leads to beaver pond. After going through mixed forest, SHT travels through young red pine stand. Trail descends to Stewart River.
5.1 (5.9) STEWART RIVER AND CAMPSITE
STEWART RIVER CAMPSITE
TYPE: Regular
TENT PADS: 3
WATER: From Stewart River
SETTING: On Stewart River
PREVIOUS CAMPSITE: 5.2 miles
NEXT CAMPSITE: 10.1 miles
After crossing bridge at Stewart River, SHT crosses previously logged area replanted with young spruce. Trail goes back into mixed forest and then descends down side of rock ridge and crosses on small bridge to North Shore State Trail (NSST).
6.2 (4.8) NORTH SHORE STATE TRAIL
SHT turns left (east) and follows NSST for 0.2 miles going under railroad overpass (look for taconite pellets) and then comes to yellow gate. Trail turns right (south) before gate onto Dufresne Road. SHT follows road for 175 feet and turns left (south) into mixed forest and then comes to mature maple forest. Look for an exceptionally large basswood tree in this area.
Trail comes old logging road and turns left following road for 0.1 miles, then veers right off road into another nice maple forest.
8.7 (2.3) FIRST CROSSING OF REEVES ROAD
SHT comes to first of three crossings of Reeves Road through young white pine plantation and then goes along stretch of nice rock outcrops and then wooded clifftop. Right before second crossing of Reeves Road is lovely Reeves Falls. Second crossing of Reeves Road is at 9.4 miles. Trail turns right on road and goes for 194 feet and then turns left into woods again. Third crossing of Reeves Road is at 9.6 miles. Trail goes straight across road here, then continues through woods and crosses pipeline opening and then powerline opening. Trail comes to Reeves Road again by yellow gate and turns right (east) and goes on road 0.5 miles to trailhead parking lot.
11.0 (0.0) REEVES ROAD TRAILHEAD PARKING LOT
Printable Map 489k
Section 3: Reeves Road to Co Rd 301
Total Section Distance: 5.4 miles
Directions to Reeves Road Trailhead Parking Lot: At Hwy 61 milepost 26.0 in Two Harbors, turn north on Hwy 2 (Lake Co Rd 2) and go 5.5 miles. Turn left on Reeves Road and take immediate left into trailhead parking lot.
0.0 (5.4) REEVES ROAD TRAILHEAD PARKING LOT
From the parking lot, SHT turns north (uphill) and follows Hwy 2 (Co Rd 2) on shoulder for 0.5 miles. Walk on left facing traffic. Just before Dixie’s Bar and Grill, trail turns right (east) onto snowmobile trail and goes for 0.5 miles. Trail turns right (south) off of snowmobile trail into mixed forest and then through a nice maple forest. Trail continues through mixed forest to rock cliff.
1.3 (4.1) ROCK CLIFF
After basalt rock cliff, trail descends gradually, crosses Gun Club Road, and continues through mixed forest and some fern openings to scenic Silver Creek
2.6 (2.8) SILVER CREEK
SHT follows Silver Creek almost continuously for the next 1.9 miles. Look for big old white pine on the opposite bank.
4.3 (1.1) SILVER CREEK CAMPSITE
SILVER CREEK CAMPSITE
TYPE: Regular
TENT PADS: 6
WATER: From Silver Creek
SETTING: On Silver Creek 1.2 miles from the Co Rd 301 trailhead
PREVIOUS CAMPSITE: 10.1
NEXT CAMPSITE: 9.6
After turning left (east) away from Silver Creek, SHT continues for 1.0 miles through mixed forest to trailhead parking lot.
5.4 (0.0) COUNTY ROAD 301 TRAILHEAD PARKING LOT
Printable Map 471k
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